Current Public Seminars
"It was a very enjoyable course which James did a great job in presenting. The flow of the course was very well put together, it walked you through the different types of modeling tools that could be used to help understand the business you were trying to design. It explained when and why you should use the different modeling tools to help understand the business and define the Stakeholders. It was a very interactive where you were encouraged to ask questions and put your own ideas forward on the examples given. There were several workshops where you were able to use the different models you had learnt to design a specific business, which you then presented to the rest of the class explaining your reasoning for your design.."
Charles Cooper, Senior Business Analyst, HP
"Attending Mastering Business Analysis seminar brought me even closer to understanding what IT can do for business."
Gasper Babic, IT Account Manager for Comops, Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d.
"Very interesting and confirmed my beliefs of what a BA should be doing."
Kelly Newnham, Business Analyst, Scottish & Southern Energy
"Very good explanations when questions aired. Lots of real life examples too."
Claire Pearson, Business Process Analyst, AQA
2-Day Seminar
Mastering Business Analysis
The
Pragmatic, Integrated Approach to Business Needs and Solutions
Register On-line: |
|
Click
Here To Download PDF Brochure
- Overview
- Learning Objectives
- Seminar and Workshop Outline
- Audience
- Speaker Biographies
- Testimonials
- Seminar Fee
- Multiple Seminar Booking Discount and Group Booking Discount
- Hotel Venue and Accommodation
Click here for an in-house quote request or for further information regarding in-house training.
Overview
Business analysis provides the
foundation for almost every kind of business change. Business analysis is
investigating the work of the business, and finding both the problems to
be corrected and better solutions for the business processes. Business analysis
is a combination of modelling, systemic thinking, innovating, communicating,
project analysis, persuasion and several other analytical skills.
In short, business analysis is about understanding the real business and providing solutions to make it better.
The business analyst is a modeller and a communicator: Models are used to understand the processes, information and behaviours that make up the business. This understanding is not superficial, but of the real, underlying business policy and the root cause of problems within the business.The analyst must also communicate this understanding clearly so that all stakeholders arrive at the same view of their business.
The analyst is charged with guiding the strategic aspects of the project ensuring that the right problem is being solved, and finding innovative and optimally-beneficial solutions.
Our businesses thrive or flounder on the effectiveness of their business processes, both automated and manual. Businesses with good processes provide a better service and are more responsive to their customers. The converse is true.
Business analysis is the craft of enlightened improvement to business systems and processes. Moreover, business analysis gives you ways of identifying the areas where improvement projects will yield the highest value.
This two-day course in business analysis gives you the skills and tools to discover your client’s real business, and to determine and demonstrate the best ways of improving it. This course is a natural companion to Mastering the Requirements Process, where we teach the art of requirements writing. The models and understanding produced by Mastering Business Analysis are the optimal input, and foundation for, your requirements process.
- Discover real business needs, not just the obvious and talked-about ones.
- Improve your business processes and systems by a combination of process modelling, systems thinking and innovation.
- Define the most beneficial scope for the analysis project.
- Use models to understand and communicate the business processes, and ensure stakeholders also understand.
- Be better at interpersonal communication and convincing people of your systems ideas.
- Think systemically, to find the best way to improve your client’s business.
- Be a better business analyst
Business Analysis — what are we trying to do?
Business analysis is about improving your business. To do this, the business analyst studies the problem space, modes it and establishes the difference between the business as it is, and as it should be.The business analyst employs systems thinking and abstraction to see past the technological bias of the current way of doing things, to see the essence of the business—what should be happening—and to deliver, in alignment with management’s goals, a model of the desired future state of the business.
Modelling the Business – techniques for studying and understanding the business process and data
The business analyst uses a variety of modelling tools to arrive at a complete and agreed understanding of what the business is currently doing. The current state is by no means the desired future state, but nevertheless provides a baseline for future improvements. It is also vital that the all opportunities for improvement are recognised at this stage. We teach a variety of models (business analysts should always be able to select whichever is most appropriate) to graphically represent the business processes. UML and BPMN models are prominent, but we also teach alternative ways of modelling, each having its own advantages. Data flow models and scenarios are a very “business friendly” ways to show a process. Data models show the information used by the business. By discovering the stored information, the business analyst uncovers more of the business policy.Business Events – organising the analysis
Business events are things that happen outside of the business, but are significant—the business must respond to each event. By discovering the business events, the business analyst sees the actual triggers that make the business function. The response to an event is modelled as an end-to-end process, giving the analyst the advantage of seeing the big picture, as well as finding more and better opportunities for process improvement.Systems Thinking – not getting carried away with solutions, but seeing the essence of the business
The essence of the business—the real business—is quite different from the current solution, and indeed different from any proposed solution. The essence is not a solution at all, but the underlying problem seen without the burden of technology. By discovering the essence, the business analyst ensures that any system built is the right one, and lasts longer than any current technological fad. Systems thinking means looking at the business as a whole, not just one small part of it, or one business user and his software system. The systemic-thinking analysts is concerned with finding a solution that suits the whole of the enterprise, and does not cause unexpected detrimental affects of any changes.Innovation – making real and worthwhile changes to the business by using fresh thinking.
The most valuable companies today are also the most innovative. Businesses cannot stand still and carry on “business as usual” — this usually means “going out of business”. If you want your business to be competitive, effective and attractive to your customers, then innovation must become part of all business change and system development projects. For the business analyst, innovation means finding better processes, systems, products and services to make the business function more productively. Innovative solutions cost no more—they usually costs less—and make better, more effective use of existing processes and technology. Innovation means looking at the problem in a different way to find the solutions that evade conventional requirements techniques. Becoming more innovative is mainly down to changing the way you look at problems to find different ways of doing business.The Human Element – interviewing, resolving conflicts, facilitating workshops, communication skills
The business analyst is above all a communicator, charged with understanding a piece of the business using information collected from the people in that business. Clearly, the needed skill is an ability to interview people, listen to them, and then ensure that both parties arrive at the same understanding of the problem. Additionally, the business analyst frequently has to facilitate workshops, and to use communication skills to persuade stakeholders of the real problem, and to bring the sometimes disparate viewpoints to a consensus.Delivering – now that you understand the business, here’s how to bring about the changes to improve it
The right result can only come if the project is solving the right problem, and the goals, benefits and opportunities are universally agreed. This section looks at the conduct of projects, and how tools such as Business Model Generation, SWOT, ALUo and prioritisation can be used to full effect. The business analyst must work with the stakeholders towards the smooth acceptance of the the delivered systems and so ensure the result in the most beneficial changes to the enterprise.
Audience
Business
analysis is almost everyone’s job—every employee has some responsibility for
effective business improvement. The most likely job titles you would find
at this course are:
- Business Analyst
- Systems Analyst
- Project Leader
- Requirements Engineer
- Product or Program Manager
or similar titles. We also find Users and Software Customers benefit from learning advanced business analysis techniques, and how they can contribute to the organisation’s wellbeing.
Special Features
- All teaching chapters are reinforced with hands-on workshops
- The course is run informally with lots of opportunity to discuss issues with the instructor
- The course is made relevant to your work situation
IIBA Accreditation The Mastering Business Analysis course has been endorsed by The International Institute of Business Analysts. As such, this course has been approved as being aligned to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) and hence is recommended training for business analysts who wish to sit the exam to become Certified Business Analysis Professionals (CBAP). By attending this course, you will earn 16 PDs (Professional Development hours) or 16 CDUs (Continuing Development Units). For further information on how to register for the CBAP examination please refer to certification at www.theiiba.org. The IIBA endorsement is registered by the Atlantic Systems Guild. |
 |
James Archer has worked in many different application areas using the Volere approach. He has always managed to come up with innovative solutions to the business problems, ones that have proved to be cheaper to implement and provide greater customer satisfaction in the long-term. He has always taken the approach of discovering the essence of the business problem before leaping into technical solutions, and customers provide glowing references to James's skills. James also speaks on various aspects of Business Analysis to organisations across the UK including running popular workshops at the Government IT Profession Conference. He is a co-founder of the Business Change Special Interest Group of the BCS. In 2009, James was awarded 'The Business Analyst of the Year' IT Industry Award. |
Seminar Fee
£1,095 + VAT (£219) = £1,314
Hotel Venue and Accommodation
11-12 November 2013
VENUE: etc.venues Paddington
57 North Wharf Rd
Paddington Basin, London, W2 1LA
Sales: 020 7989 0590
Switchboard: 020 7989 0590
Email: paddington@etcvenues.co.uk
http://www.etcvenues.co.uk/venues/paddington
London Accommodation: IRM UK in association with JP Events Ltd has arranged special discounted rates at all venues and at other hotels nearby the venue. Please visit the JP Events website for further information.
Email: jane@jpetem.com Tel +44 (0)84 5680 1138 Fax +44 (0)84 5680 1139.
In-House Training
If you require a quote for running
this course in-house, please contact us with the following details:
- Subject matter and/or speaker required
- Estimated number of delegates
- Location (town, country)
- Number of days required (if different from the public course)
- Preferred date
Please contact:
Jeanette Hall
E-mail: jeanette.hall@irmuk.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8866 8366
Fax: +44 (0)1923 828 770
Speaker:
James Archer
|
|||
| Media Sponsors | |||
|
Business
Analysis Series
Working with Business Processes: Discovery, Assessment, Mapping, Analysis and Design
Building and Using a Business Process Architecture
Mastering the Requirements Process
Business Rules and Decision Analysis Masterclass
Agile Requirements: Collaborating to Define and Confirm Needs
Multiple Seminar Booking Discount
Attend more than one of our seminars and you will be entitled to the following discounts:
- 2nd course 10%
- 3rd course 15%
- 4th course 20%
- 5th+ course 25%
Group Booking Discount
20% discount for 5 or more registrations made at the same time.
We regret that this offer cannot be used in conjunction with the Multiple Seminar Discount or any other discount.
|